The Legislature Between Sessions

The Legislature has an ongoing staff agency known as theLegislative
Counsel Bureau.This agency encompasses the Fiscal, Legal, and Research
Divisions, which provide support for the Legislature. It also includes
the Audit Division whose job consists of auditing the accounts of state
agencies, and an Administrative Division, which provides accounting, security
and various "housekeeping" functions.

The Legislative Counsel Bureau is supervised by the Legislative Commission,
abody of 12 legislators, six from each house. The commission
also takes actions on behalf of the legislative branch of government when
the full Legislature is not in session. This body meets every few months
between sessions to provide guidance to staff of the Legislative Counsel
Bureau and to deal with other interim matters.

The Interim Finance Committee, composed of the members of the Senate
Committee on Finance and the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means from
the preceding session, makes fiscal decisions for the Legislature during
the period between regular sessions. The Interim Finance Committee
endeavors to maintain an adequate fund balance to meet unforeseen financial
emergencies.